CVE-2024-44987: Vulnerability in Linux Linux

Severity: highType: vulnerabilityCVE-2024-44987

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: prevent UAF in ip6_send_skb() syzbot reported an UAF in ip6_send_skb() [1] After ip6_local_out() has returned, we no longer can safely dereference rt, unless we hold rcu_read_lock(). A similar issue has been fixed in commit a688caa34beb ("ipv6: take rcu lock in rawv6_send_hdrinc()") Another potential issue in ip6_finish_output2() is handled in a separate patch. [1] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ip6_send_skb+0x18d/0x230 net/ipv6/ip6_output.c:1964 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88806dde4858 by task syz.1.380/6530 CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 6530 Comm: syz.1.380 Not tainted 6.11.0-rc3-syzkaller-00306-gdf6cbc62cc9b #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 08/06/2024 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:93 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x241/0x360 lib/dump_stack.c:119 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:377 [inline] print_report+0x169/0x550 mm/kasan/report.c:488 kasan_report+0x143/0x180 mm/kasan/report.c:601 ip6_send_skb+0x18d/0x230 net/ipv6/ip6_output.c:1964 rawv6_push_pending_frames+0x75c/0x9e0 net/ipv6/raw.c:588 rawv6_sendmsg+0x19c7/0x23c0 net/ipv6/raw.c:926 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x1a6/0x270 net/socket.c:745 sock_write_iter+0x2dd/0x400 net/socket.c:1160 do_iter_readv_writev+0x60a/0x890 vfs_writev+0x37c/0xbb0 fs/read_write.c:971 do_writev+0x1b1/0x350 fs/read_write.c:1018 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7f936bf79e79 Code: ff ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 40 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 a8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007f936cd7f038 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000014 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f936c115f80 RCX: 00007f936bf79e79 RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 0000000020000040 RDI: 0000000000000004 RBP: 00007f936bfe7916 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 00007f936c115f80 R15: 00007fff2860a7a8 </TASK> Allocated by task 6530: kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:47 [inline] kasan_save_track+0x3f/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:68 unpoison_slab_object mm/kasan/common.c:312 [inline] __kasan_slab_alloc+0x66/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:338 kasan_slab_alloc include/linux/kasan.h:201 [inline] slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slub.c:3988 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:4037 [inline] kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x135/0x2a0 mm/slub.c:4044 dst_alloc+0x12b/0x190 net/core/dst.c:89 ip6_blackhole_route+0x59/0x340 net/ipv6/route.c:2670 make_blackhole net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c:3120 [inline] xfrm_lookup_route+0xd1/0x1c0 net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c:3313 ip6_dst_lookup_flow+0x13e/0x180 net/ipv6/ip6_output.c:1257 rawv6_sendmsg+0x1283/0x23c0 net/ipv6/raw.c:898 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x1a6/0x270 net/socket.c:745 ____sys_sendmsg+0x525/0x7d0 net/socket.c:2597 ___sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2651 [inline] __sys_sendmsg+0x2b0/0x3a0 net/socket.c:2680 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f Freed by task 45: kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:47 [inline] kasan_save_track+0x3f/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:68 kasan_save_free_info+0x40/0x50 mm/kasan/generic.c:579 poison_slab_object+0xe0/0x150 mm/kasan/common.c:240 __kasan_slab_free+0x37/0x60 mm/kasan/common.c:256 kasan_slab_free include/linux/kasan.h:184 [inline] slab_free_hook mm/slub.c:2252 [inline] slab_free mm/slub.c:4473 [inline] kmem_cache_free+0x145/0x350 mm/slub.c:4548 dst_destroy+0x2ac/0x460 net/core/dst.c:124 rcu_do_batch kernel/rcu/tree.c:2569 [inline] rcu_core+0xafd/0x1830 kernel/rcu/tree. ---truncated---

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2024-44987 is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's IPv6 networking stack, specifically within the ip6_send_skb() function. This vulnerability was reported by syzbot, an automated kernel fuzzing tool, and involves unsafe dereferencing of a routing table pointer (rt) after the ip6_local_out() function returns, without holding the required RCU (Read-Copy-Update) read lock. The flaw arises because the kernel code attempts to access memory that may have already been freed, leading to a use-after-free condition. This can cause undefined behavior such as kernel crashes, memory corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution in kernel context. The vulnerability is located in net/ipv6/ip6_output.c and is related to the handling of IPv6 packet sending operations. The issue is similar to a previously fixed bug where the RCU lock was not properly taken in rawv6_send_hdrinc(). The detailed kernel stack trace and memory allocation/freeing context confirm the UAF condition. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions around 6.11.0-rc3 and likely other versions with similar code paths. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability requires local code execution to trigger the vulnerable code path, typically through sending IPv6 packets via raw sockets or similar mechanisms. The root cause is a race condition in the kernel's IPv6 routing and packet sending logic that mishandles synchronization primitives, leading to unsafe memory access.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-44987 can be significant, especially for those relying heavily on Linux-based infrastructure, including servers, network appliances, and cloud environments. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a local attacker or a malicious process with network access to cause kernel crashes (denial of service) or potentially escalate privileges by executing arbitrary code in kernel space. This can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems. Given the widespread use of Linux in European data centers, telecommunications, government agencies, and enterprises, the vulnerability poses a risk to operational continuity and data security. Additionally, IPv6 adoption is increasing in Europe, making this vulnerability more relevant. Attackers exploiting this flaw could disrupt network services or gain footholds for further lateral movement within networks. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's nature means it could be weaponized in targeted attacks or by advanced persistent threat actors.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Immediate application of the official Linux kernel patches that address this vulnerability is critical. Organizations should monitor their Linux distribution vendors for security updates and apply them promptly. 2. For environments where patching is delayed, consider disabling or restricting IPv6 raw socket usage and limiting untrusted user access to raw network sockets to reduce attack surface. 3. Employ kernel hardening techniques such as Kernel Address Sanitizer (KASAN) and Kernel Page Table Isolation (KPTI) to detect and mitigate memory corruption issues. 4. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems that handle IPv6 traffic, especially those exposed to untrusted networks. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate critical Linux hosts and reduce exposure to potentially malicious local users or compromised containers. 6. Continuously monitor kernel logs and system behavior for signs of exploitation attempts or unusual crashes related to IPv6 networking. 7. Engage in vulnerability management processes that prioritize kernel vulnerabilities affecting networking stacks due to their high impact potential.